We’re a couple of days away from the end of talking season, and the dawn of the football one. Hope springs eternal across the county, as nine sets of coaches, players and fans dream of Friday Night Lights — and the joys contained therin.
Talking season might be over, but cheesy lead season is still going strong it seems. Anyway, if you missed the first edition of the new podcast, where Justin Roy and I (along with gust spots from Kai Jones and Chris Hooks) break down the coming season, get caught up here.
Now, away we go…
South Johnston at Smithfield-Selma
Record since 2007: South Johnston leads the recent series 14-8, including a 35-7 win last season.
Ask the computers: Massey Index South Johnston -19.5; Simmons Ratings TBD
Media Watch: Curtis Media is in the house for this one. Tune in to 102.3 FM and 850 AM at 6:30 for the pregame show, and it may be available on jocofootball.com as well.
Breakdown: Smithfield-Selma is coming off a 1-9 season, but returns 14 starters for second-year coach Stanley Williams. Sophomore quarterback Johnavon Cox gained valuable experience last season, and the Spartans will be hoping he continues to develop. Jamie Groves is a two-way player that will compete for all-conference honors.
South Johnston will be looking for better health and a tad more luck after a 5-5 campaign last season. Junior quarterback Tyler Williams is back after an injury-marred season that saw him pass for 1,110 yards, eight touchdowns and six interceptions. It’s cliche, but the Trojans will go as far as he can take them.
Holt Langston brings experience, almost 850 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns to the starting backfield, but new faces will need to emerge in the receiving corps, on the offensive line and other than all-action linebacker Mason Weaver (109 tackles, three sacks, three INT), on all three levels of the defense.
This is a game with more questions than known quantities, but there is still a talent gap between the two county rivals that is hard to make up in an offseason.
Prediction: Seriously, listen to the podcast. But for here, let’s say South Johnston 35, Smithfield-Selma 21
Cleveland at Pinecrest
Record since 2007: None. They’ve not met in that time frame.
Ask the computers: Massey Index Cleveland -8.5; Simmons Ratings TBD
Media Watch: JOCORadio.com
Breakdown: Both of these teams are working in some new players, but Pinecrest is replacing the majority of the core group from last year’s 10-2 squad — including four of the five offensive linemen. To me, this is the area to keep an eye on. The Rams’ have a couple of talented pass rushers in Cameron Melvin and Daniel Lugo, and there might be matchups worth exploiting on that Patriot front.
This will game one of the Owen Hulbert era at quarterback for the Rams, and all he has to do is replace Jackson Byrd. Piece of cake, right?
Bet against Scott Riley and the Rams at your own risk, I say.
Prediction: I picked Cleveland on the podcast, and after seeing the Southern Pines Pilot prediction (42-14, Cleveland), I feel better about it. Cleveland 35, Pinecrest 7
Corinth Holders at NOrth Brunswick
Record since 2007: None, though Corinth Holders is 0-1 against West Brunswick, for whatever that’s worth.
Ask the computers: Massey Index Corinth Holders -1.5; Simmons Ratings TBD
Media Watch: none
Breakdown: North Brunswick welcomes back 10 starters, including eight on offense, from a team that went 7-6 last year — but went three rounds deep in the postseason before bowing out to eventual state runner-up Seventy-First.
Corinth Holders has seven Pirates back on board for second-year coach Carl Smith, and both programs will be looking to take that proverbial next step here in 2025.
Prediction: With two teams that are more experienced on offense than defense, this could turn into a track meet. Assuming it can handle the 150-mile bus ride to Leland, I think Corinth Holders will find a way here. Corinth Holders 35, North Brunswick 27.
West Johnston at South Garner
Record since 2007: None. South Garner is pretty new, you know.
Ask the computers: Massey Index South Garner -27.5; Simmons Ratings TBD
Media Watch: None
Breakdown: West was a playoff team in 2024, and returns the core of a pretty good defense. South Garner was 1-8 last season, and finding out anything meaningful on the Titans has been tricky. Notre Dame recruit Ebenezer Ewatade is the headliner, recording 28 tackles for loss and 10 sacks on a bad team. Unless I’m missing something, not much has changed for South Garner since then.
The Massey computer must be based in South Bend to spit out that number. How silly is it? Last fall, the Titans didn’t score 27 points in a game all season.
Prediction: Have we thought about unplugging the Massey computer, and plugging it back in? West Johnston 28, South Garner 0.
Ayden-Grifton at Princeton
Record since 2007: Ayden-Grifton leads this recent series, 8-1, though since they haven’t met since 2012, perhaps recent isn’t the right word.
Ask the computers: Massey Index Princeton -11.5; Simmons Ratings TBD
Media Watch: None
Breakdown: Princeton returns two thirds of its three-headed rushing monster from last season in Teo McPhatter and Austin Lewallen, but a reworked offensive line will be the key to the Bulldogs’ success this fall.
This was a team that struggled defensively at times last year, and an experienced Ayden-Grifton squad with four returning starters on the offensive line will look to test that unit in the opener. The Chargers were 8-5 last fall against what might be termed as a friendly schedule.
This will be a step up in competition for them.
Prediction: Princeton 44, Ayden-Grifton 26
Beddingfield at North Johnston
Record since 2007: Beddingfield leads the recent series, 10-2, but North notched a 52-30 victory in last year’s meeting.
Ask the computers: Massey Index Beddingfield -7.5; Simmons Ratings TBD
Media Watch: None
Breakdown: While the roster turnover that North Johnston is facing is worth mentioning, the only thing that hasn’t changed for Beddingfield is its name. Tarboro assistant Riley Hurdle is the new head coach, and that means new schemes for offense and defense and virtually an entirely new coaching staff. Mercy.
Numbers are an issue, and change is in the air in that part of Wilson. I doubt the Massey computer knows any of this, but we do.
Prediction: North Johnston 34, Beddingfield 13
LEJEUNE at American Leadership Academy
Record since 2007: None
Ask the computers: Massey Index ALA -27.5; Simmons Ratings TBD
Media Watch: None, though my pal Chris Miller with the Daily News will have it covered, I’m sure.
Breakdown: Lejeune won four games last fall, which was its highest total since 2013. Since then, it’s hired a new coach in alumnus Sam Cassou. There is roster attrition and overall numbers to worry about, the usual plights for small NC programs.
Meanwhile, the 4 p.m. kickoff is because the lights aren’t up at ALA just yet. That doesn’t mean the future isn’t bright for the Patriots, and yes, I’ve waited all summer for that pun. Coach Nate Blackburn returns a host of talent and experience from last year’s overachieving team, and the Pats have an eye on a postseason berth — and unlike last year — there’s a path to get there.
Prediction: The road, they say, starts here. ALA 42, Lejeune 14
Wilson Prep at Clayton
Record since 2007: None
Ask the computers: Massey Index Clayton -41.5; Simmons Ratings TBD
Media Watch: Community Radio Network, as always, at https://wearecrn.com
Breakdown: Let me start by saying that there’s a very good chance Wilson Prep will win the 1A state title this fall. It’s a talented, albeit thin, roster more than held its own during preseason work against much larger schools.
But there are levels to this game. Clayton is a 7A title contender with bigger players, and many more of them. Scott Chadwick’s squad is dotted with Power Four talent and will be looking to lay down a marker.
Prediction: Clayton 45, Wilson Prep 14